According to API Standard 936, the responsibility for resolving all conflicts or inconsistencies found within the contract documents, which include drawings and specifications, rests solely with the owner. The owner holds the ultimate authority for all decisions regarding the quality control standard and project requirements. While inspectors or engineering firms may identify and report such conflicts, the final decision and resolution must come from the owner or their designated representative. This ensures that any resolution aligns with the project's overall objectives and contractual obligations.

A. inspector: The inspector's duty is to identify and report non-conformances and conflicts to the owner, not to resolve them authoritatively.

C. engineering company: The engineering company provides design and clarification but does not have the final authority; that responsibility belongs to the owner who commissioned them.

D. inspector with 30 years of service/experience: Experience does not grant an inspector the authority to resolve contractual conflicts; their role remains defined by the standard regardless of tenure.

1. API Standard 936

Refractory Installation Quality Control—Inspection and Testing Monolithic Refractory Linings and Materials

4th Edition

June 2014.

Section 4.1.2: "The owner shall resolve all conflicts or inconsistencies in the contract documents."

Section 4.1.1: "The owner shall be responsible for all decisions with respect to the quality control standard."

Section 4.2.1: This section outlines the inspector's duties

which focus on monitoring

verifying

and reporting to the owner

but do not include resolving document conflicts.

The manufacturer is responsible for the formulation and production of the refractory material. According to API 936, the manufacturer must provide complete technical information on their product data sheets. This includes all constituent components, such as the specific type, metallurgy (e.g., 304 or 310 stainless steel), dimensions (length and diameter), and concentration (percentage by weight or volume) of any metal fiber reinforcement. This information is essential for the owner's approval, the contractor's installation procedure, and the inspector's quality control verification.

A. Owner: The owner specifies the service conditions and performance requirements and approves the materials, but does not define the detailed formulation of a manufacturer's proprietary product.

C. Contractor: The contractor is responsible for the correct storage, handling, and installation of the refractory material, not for providing its manufacturing specifications.

D. Inspector: The inspector's role is to verify that the supplied material and its documentation conform to the project specifications, not to provide the material data itself.

1. API Standard 936

Refractory Installation Quality Control—Inspection and Testing Monolithic Refractory Linings and Materials

4th Edition

December 2014.

Section 4.3.2: "The manufacturer’s product data sheets shall be available at the job site for all refractories being installed." (Product data sheets contain the detailed information in question).

Section 4.2.1: "The manufacturer shall provide certified test reports of physical properties for each refractory product..." (This establishes the manufacturer's responsibility for providing detailed material data).

Annex A

Section A.2.1

Checklist Item 1: The inspector must verify that "Manufacturer’s data sheets and test data are available for all materials." This confirms the manufacturer is the designated source for this information.

According to API Standard 936, the contractor holds the direct responsibility for the execution and quality control of the refractory installation. This includes developing and implementing all necessary procedures to meet the owner's specifications. Specifically, the standard explicitly lists the preparation of steel surfaces to be lined and the establishment of welding procedures and welder qualifications as duties falling under the contractor's scope of responsibility. The contractor must ensure these activities are performed correctly to guarantee the integrity of the final refractory lining.

A. Owner: The owner is responsible for providing specifications and approving the contractor's procedures, but not for creating or executing the work itself.

C. Inspector: The inspector's role is to verify and document that the contractor's work, including surface preparation and welding, conforms to the approved procedures and standards.

D. Manufacturer: The manufacturer is responsible for providing quality refractory materials and their specific installation guidelines, not for the field procedures related to the vessel's surface preparation or welding.

1. API Standard 936

Refractory Installation Quality Control—Inspection and Testing Monolithic Refractory Linings and Materials

4th Edition

October 2014.

Section 4.2.1: "The contractor shall be responsible for meeting the quality control requirements of this standard and the owner’s specification. The contractor’s responsibilities shall include

but are not limited to

the following: ... b) surface preparation of steel surfaces to be lined; ... d) welding procedures and welder qualifications; ..."

Section 4.1.1: Defines the owner's responsibilities

which include specifying requirements and designating the inspector

but not performing the work.

Section 4.3.1: Outlines the inspector's duties as monitoring and inspection

not procedure development or execution.

According to API Standard 936, the contractor is explicitly responsible for the quality of the refractory installation work. This responsibility directly includes the creation and maintenance of complete and accurate records of the installation process. The contractor performs the work and is therefore best positioned to document the materials used, procedures followed, personnel involved, and quality control tests performed. The inspector verifies these records, and the owner approves them, but the primary responsibility for their accuracy lies with the contractor.

A. refractory manufacturer: The manufacturer is responsible for the quality of the material supplied and providing installation guidelines, not for documenting the contractor's work.

B. owner: The owner specifies the requirements and is the ultimate recipient and approver of the records but is not responsible for their creation or initial accuracy.

D. inspector: The inspector's role is to verify that the installation and its documentation comply with the specified requirements, not to create the records themselves.

1. API Standard 936

Refractory Installation Quality Control—Inspection and Testing Monolithic Refractory Linings and Materials

4th Edition

December 2014.

Section 4.3.1 g): "The contractor shall be responsible for the quality of the refractory installation work. This responsibility shall include

but not be limited to

the following: ... g) maintaining complete and accurate records of the installation as required by the owner’s specification and this standard."

Section 4.1.1: Defines the inspector's role as monitoring and observing

which includes verifying records

not creating them.

Section 4.2.1: Outlines the owner's responsibilities

which include specifying requirements and documentation

but not generating the installation records.

According to API Standard 936, when preparing gunned material test panels for qualification, the panel must be gunned to the specified job thickness. However, if the job thickness is less than 2 inches (50 mm), a minimum thickness is required to ensure that representative test specimens can be extracted. In this specific case, the standard mandates that the minimum gunned thickness shall be 2 inches with a tolerance of ±0.25 inches (50 mm ± 6 mm). This ensures consistency and provides sufficient material for creating the required test cubes or bars for Cold Crushing Strength (CCS) and Permanent Linear Change (PLC) testing.

A. The panel thickness must be the "job thickness," not a fixed 6 inches. The 24 in. × 24 in. dimension is a minimum requirement.

C. The standard requires the panel to be screeded and trowel-finished, but it does not mandate the specific use of a vibrating screed.

D. Test panels are cured according to the manufacturer's instructions. Specimens are dried at 220°F to 230°F (105°C to 110°C) before firing, not 400°F.

1. American Petroleum Institute (API) Standard 936

4th Edition

June 2014. Refractory Installation Quality Control—Inspection and Testing Monolithic Refractory Linings and Materials.

Section 6.3.2.1: "The test panel shall be a minimum of 24 in. × 24 in. (600 mm × 600 mm) and gunned to the job thickness. If the job thickness is less than 2 in. (50 mm)

the minimum gunned thickness shall be 2 in. ± 1/4 in. (50 mm ± 6 mm)." (Supports correct answer B and refutes A).

Section 6.3.2.2: "The panel shall be screeded to the required thickness and trowel-finished." (Refutes C).

Annex A

Section A.3.2.2: "Dry the specimens for a minimum of 12 hours at 220 °F to 230 °F (105 °C to 110 °C)." (Refutes D).

2. Schacht

C. A. (2004). Refractories Handbook. CRC Press.

Chapter 7

Section 7.5.2

"Test Sample Preparation": This chapter discusses standard test methods

including those specified by API 936. It confirms that test panel thickness for gunning trials should reflect the actual installation thickness

with a minimum provision (like the 2-inch rule) to ensure valid specimen extraction for physical property testing. (Supports the principle behind answer B).